Getting started: what beside a lathe?

[Alan Weinberg]

For those considering taking up the hobby of woodturning, realize that the lathe purchase is just the starting point for the financial cost. You will need much more. Try not to buy until you try or you will end up with tools you find useless—and that applies to the lathe as well. Be patient and acquire items slowly. Testing or trying an item before a purchase will save you from mistakes. Classes, a mentor, a club, and AAW membership will guide you.

While much can be done with minimal tools, as experience and skill sets develop, other tools may be needed to expand one’s repertoire. For example, if piercing, coloring, and embellishing are planned beyond just turning, there are additional required items not all listed here. Each turner will find necessary items that another turner may consider optional or even unnecessary.

In no particular order, I list required and optional items that a beginning woodturner may want or need in addition to a lathe.

Required items
1. Scroll chuck(s) and various jaws
2. Various spindle and bowl gouges, parting tools, (negative rake) scrapers, skews, carbide tools
3. Various calipers, compass
4. Grinder for sharpening (slow speed)
5. Bandsaw for cutting blanks
6. Mallet
7. Drill(s) for sanding, drilling
8. Woodturning class(es)
9. Mentor
10. Scale for weighing
11. Faceplate(s)
12. Live center(s)
13. Drive center(s), cup center
14. Wood
15. Oils, lacquers, epoxy, CA glue, solvents, stains, grain sealer, dyes
16. Various tool rests
17. Respiratory and face/head/eye/ear protection
18. Small hand saw
19. Dust collection
20. Chisels
21. Turning tool racks
22. Library of books
23. Lighting for lathe, bandsaw, grinder
24. Ruler(s), measuring tape
25. AAW membership
26. Hollowing tools
27. Shop vacuum
28. Broom and dustpan
29. Drill bits
30. Tool box(es)
31. Wire brushes
32. Abrasives (sandpaper), Scotchbrite, steel wool
33. Hammer, screwdrivers, Allen wrenches
34. Tool/supply cabinets
35. Various tapes (two-sided, masking, painter’s)
36. Jacob chuck
37. Awl

Optional items
1. Compressor
2. Vacuum chuck
3. Steady rest
4. Coring system
5. Donut chuck
6. Screw chuck
7. Air brush
8. Dremel rotary tool
9. Cole or Longworth jaws
10. Forstner bits
11. Chainsaw
12. Buffing wheels and compounds
13. CBN wheels
14. Taps and dies for threading
15. Center finder
16. Wolverine sharpening system
17. Diamond hone
18. Hollowing system
19. Random orbital sander
20. Plunge router (for pewa)
21. Work bench with vise
22. Drum sander
23. Moisture meter
24. Carving/finishing stand
25. Drill press
26. Mandrels for special turnings (pens, bottle stoppers)
27. Magnifying lenses
28. Storage racks/cabinets for wood/supplies
29. Pressure pot
30. Wood burner
31. Lathe floor mat
32. Glue gun
33. Heat gun

This list is by no means complete or etched in stone. One may find optional something that is listed as required, or vice-versa.

Add to the list. It might become a good reference for starting turners.

 

[Jon Rista]

I'd replace Cole Jaws with a Longworth chuck myself. I have two sets of Cole Jaws, and I've always hated using them. Constantly unscrewing and rescrewing those buffers, gets quite tedious after a while. The nice thing about a longworth, is while sometimes they can be a bit of struggle to get moving (you twist two plates to reposition the buffers on a longworth), that is still FAR less tedious than what you have to do with Cole Jaws.

A longworth chuck can be basically just about as large as your lathe's swing, too, and can accommodate bowls or platters nearly up to maximum size. If you can outboard your spindle, you could get an even larger longworth (which would be larger than any cole jaws I've ever come across, too) and actually hold bowls right up to the maximum swing. If you like to turn larger items, I'd look into a Longworth chuck rather than Cole jaws. Probably a more practical item.

 

[Alan Weinberg]

I'd replace Cole Jaws with a Longworth chuck myself. I have two sets of Cole Jaws, and I've always hated using them. Constantly unscrewing and rescrewing those buffers, gets quite tedious after a while. The nice thing about a longworth, is while sometimes they can be a bit of struggle to get moving (you twist two plates to reposition the buffers on a longworth), that is still FAR less tedious than what you have to do with Cole Jaws.

A longworth chuck can be basically just about as large as your lathe's swing, too, and can accommodate bowls or platters nearly up to maximum size. If you can outboard your spindle, you could get an even larger longworth (which would be larger than any cole jaws I've ever come across, too) and actually hold bowls right up to the maximum swing. If you like to turn larger items, I'd look into a Longworth chuck rather than Cole jaws. Probably a more practical item.

I’ll keep revising as comments are made. Thanks.

 

[Bill Alston]

I'd replace Cole Jaws with a Longworth chuck myself. I have two sets of Cole Jaws, and I've always hated using them. Constantly unscrewing and rescrewing those buffers, gets quite tedious after a while. The nice thing about a longworth, is while sometimes they can be a bit of struggle to get moving (you twist two plates to reposition the buffers on a longworth), that is still FAR less tedious than what you have to do with Cole Jaws.

A longworth chuck can be basically just about as large as your lathe's swing, too, and can accommodate bowls or platters nearly up to maximum size. If you can outboard your spindle, you could get an even larger longworth (which would be larger than any cole jaws I've ever come across, too) and actually hold bowls right up to the maximum swing. If you like to turn larger items, I'd look into a Longworth chuck rather than Cole jaws. Probably a more practical item.

I found the grip of a Longworth Chuck woefully inadequate. I replaced it with a Donut Chuck which is much more secure. You can even securely rework the base of taller items like vases with a Donut Chuck.

I wasn’t that impressed with the Cole Jaws I bought but I made some new grippers recently so I can now use it for off centre work.

 

[Darryl Fective]

One really doesn't need cole jaws or longworth chuck at all. A center finder could be moved ot the optional list as well.

 

[hockenbery]

I would put a quality class or two at the top of the list.
Maybe a mentor.
What skills you acquire will guide you in tool choices.
If you learn to make friction drives for reverse turning bowls and hollow forms Cole jaws aren’t needed on tge list.

 

[R Henrickson]

I would put a quality class or two at the top of the list.
Maybe a mentor.
What skills you acquire will guide you in tool choices.
If you learn to make friction drives for reverse turning bowls and hollow forms Cole jaws aren’t needed on tge list.

Indeed. I have cole jaws which I've never used (they came as part of a set), and haven't seen the need for a longworth chuck. I've turned hundreds of bowls and plates/platters. Friction drives of various types have served me well and provide secure mounts.
Good classes and a mentor are great suggestions. I began turning with two days of one-on-one classes with a skilled local turner. I still get together with him periodically.

 

[John K Jordan]

For those considering taking up this hobby…You will need much more

Need?
A comprehensive list is nice for reference, as long as it doesn’t scare potential turners away. There is much a beginner can do with a very minimal set of tools and supplies, other things added as skill and interests develop. Within the universe of woodturning, the potential list is unlimited.
First on the list should be “Patience”.

Advice I give to someone “considering taking up” woodturning:
Don’t buy anything at first. Find a teacher and get some introductory lessons. Then, decide if woodturning for you.
I’ve had many students over the years who had never touched a lathe, some had never seen one. Some are immediately hooked and go on to (slowly) acquire a lathe and a few tools. Some are happy with the initial experience and excited to make something, but immersion in the hobby is not for them. It’s all good.

For those seriously interested, we discuss and I demonstrate a minimum set of tools useful for starting out. Sometimes I loan tools, books, videos, provide practice wood. In some cases I offer use of my equipment. (A second lathe in the shop helps.) I offer mentoring and/or advice on how to find a good mentor. More than one mentor is valuable for the different perspectives and variety of skills.

Consider that some people who do get interested have nearly unlimited budgets; some would have trouble buying a new gouge. It’s far better to get experience before purchasing something, then discovering something different would have been far better for them. Too many turners have found that out.

That said, here are a few things important to me, for the ways I like to turn and the variety of things I like to turn. Another turner’s list could be much, much different.

Some additions to Alan’s list that I can think of at the moment.

Skew chisels
Hand scrapers
Various negative rake scrapers
Carbide burnisher for scrapers
Diamond plate and paddle hones, various grits
Sharpening aids: Wolverine, etc
Tormek
CBN wheels for grinders and Tormek.
Honing/stropping compound
Good screw chuck (Glaser)
Dividers, compass
Angle gauges
Measuring tapes, rulers, straight edges
Carving and finishing stand
Small, fine-toothed hand saw
Scroll saw/coping saw
Good lighting at the lathe(several small lights instead of broad overhead lights)
Good lighting at the bandsaw and sharpening stations
Magnifying lenses, e.g., head mounted
10x hand lens for wood ID
Eye protection (in addition to face/head protection
Powerful dust collection
Buffing wheels (Beall, etc)
Buffing and polishing compounds
Brushes: wire, plastic
Sharp knives (scalpels, etc)
Wood chisels
Sanding sticks, soft sanding blocks
Small pneumatic random orbital sanders
0000 steel wool (e.g., Liberon)
Various abrasive pads, e.g. Scotch Brite
Wax, e.g. Renaissance, paste wax
Moisture meter(s)
Drill press
Set of high-quality drill bits
Set of tiny drill bits plus pin jaws
Taps and dies for threading
Set of Forstner bits
Mandrels and such for special turnings: bottle stoppers, etc.
2MT collets and draw bar
Chain saw(s)
Circular saw, recip saw, jig saw,
Drum sander
Stationary belt/disk sander
Work bench with bench vise
Good floor mat at lathe
Tool cabinets
Good scales for weighing
2-sided tape
High strength masking tape (e.g. Scotch 2060)
Turning tool racks
Wood storage and drying racks
Means of making and editing digital photographs
A library of useful books

Shop space, wired for the equipment - a potential obstacle and expense for many. (Some people live in rented and often limited space.)
Climate control for the shop for year-around turning. WiFi, computer. Security system.

Some people may find various hardware kits helpful, say for pens, ice cream scoops, garden tools, etc.
Embellishing tools and supplies: wood burner, carving tools, chip carving knife

 

[Alan Weinberg]

Many revisions made using the suggestions. Thanks.

 

[Jon Rista]

I found the grip of a Longworth Chuck woefully inadequate. I replaced it with a Donut Chuck which is much more secure. You can even securely rework the base of taller items like vases with a Donut Chuck.

I wasn’t that impressed with the Cole Jaws I bought but I made some new grippers recently so I can now use it for off centre work.

Ah, I don't really disagree with you. Cole Jaws or Longworth, they don't really hold tightly, and IF you make them hold that tight, it usually means damage to the rim of whatever you flipped into them... I find it easier to damage things with cole jaws (maybe because you ARE able to tighten them down so much more with the chuck wrench?)

FWIW, my longworth actually is a combination chuck, and comes with a number of doughnut rings as well (and a few other features.) I guess that's probably not a standard feature of a basic longworth, but yes, doughnuts are also a very useful tool for reversing a bowl or platter or what have you to turn off the tenon.

 

[Kevin Jenness]

I can do without a center finder and cole jaws, and I could get by without a bandsaw as long as I had a chainsaw. I would be lost (literally buried) without a push broom, grain scoop, and and a 30-gallon barrel. Another must-have is a magnet for finding small tools and fasteners that fall into the shavings pile.

 

[John Whitley]

A comprehensive list is nice for reference, as long as it doesn’t scare potential turners away.

Seconded. I sold my Nova Galaxi to a new turner and worked with him to help him find a minimal set of the ancillary tools so he could get started turning and stay in budget. That was much, much smaller than this list.

I'd also add some kind of sharpening aid. This is probably a Oneway Wolverine setup due to its ubiquity, utility, and compatibility with third-party accessories.... BUT sharpening is a skill and will relate strongly to the tools and turning techniques one learns and is drawn to. This is a big point in favor of taking classes and/or finding a mentor, to help navigate the skills and equipment side of sharpening, and how those relate to the new turner's budding interests.

 

[Rick Moreton]

You have drive centers listed, but I would recommend specifically a cup center. For someone without access to an in person class or mentor I think it should be a must have. The school I take classes with only uses cup centers, if there are any spur or steb centers they are probably locked in a cabinet somewhere.

 

[hughie]

For those considering taking up the hobby of woodturning, realize that the lathe purchase is just the starting point for the financial cost. You will need much more. Try not to buy until you try or you will end up with tools you find useless—and that applies to the lathe as well. Be patient and acquire items slowly. Testing or trying an item before a purchase will save you from mistakes. Classes, a mentor, a club, and AAW membership will guide you.

While much can be done with minimal tools, as experience and skill sets develop, other tools may be needed to expand one’s repertoire. For example, if piercing, coloring, and embellishing are planned beyond just turning, there are additional required items not all listed here. Each turner will find necessary items that another turner may consider optional or even unnecessary.

In no particular order, I list required and optional items that a beginning woodturner may want or need in addition to a lathe.

Required items
1. Scroll chuck(s) and various jaws
2. Various spindle and bowl gouges, parting tools, (negative rake) scrapers, skews, carbide tools
3. Various calipers, compass
4. Grinder for sharpening (slow speed)
5. Bandsaw for cutting blanks
6. Mallet
7. Drill(s) for sanding, drilling
8. Woodturning class(es)
9. Mentor
10. Scale for weighing
11. Faceplate(s)
12. Live center(s)
13. Drive center(s)
14. Wood
15. Oils, lacquers, epoxy, CA glue, solvents, stains, grain sealer, dyes
16. Various tool rests
17. Respiratory and face/head/eye/ear protection
18. Small hand saw
19. Dust collection
20. Chisels
21. Turning tool racks
22. Library of books
23. Lighting for lathe, bandsaw, grinder
24. Ruler(s), measuring tape
25. AAW membership
26. Hollowing tools
27. Shop vacuum
28. Broom and dustpan
29. Drill bits
30. Tool box(es)
31. Wire brushes
32. Abrasives (sandpaper), Scotchbrite, steel wool
33. Hammer, screwdrivers, Allen wrenches
34. Tool/supply cabinets
35. Various tapes (two-sided, masking, painter’s)
36. Jacob chuck
37. Awl

Optional items
1. Compressor
2. Vacuum chuck
3. Steady rest
4. Coring system
5. Donut chuck
6. Screw chuck
7. Air brush
8. Dremel rotary tool
9. Cole or Longworth jaws
10. Forstner bits
11. Chainsaw
12. Buffing wheels and compounds
13. CBN wheels
14. Taps and dies for threading
15. Center finder
16. Wolverine sharpening system
17. Diamond hone
18. Hollowing system
19. Random orbital sander
20. Plunge router (for pewa)
21. Work bench with vise
22. Drum sander
23. Moisture meter
24. Carving/finishing stand
25. Drill press
26. Mandrels for special turnings (pens, bottle stoppers)
27. Magnifying lenses
28. Storage racks/cabinets for wood/supplies
29. Pressure pot
30. Wood burner
31. Lathe floor mat
32. Glue gun
33. Heat gun

This list is by no means complete or etched in stone. One may find optional something that is listed as required, or vice-versa.

Add to the list. It might become a good reference for starting turners.

... and the realization that all these extras over time will dwarf the cost of the lathe and I mean any lathe. welcome to the rabbit hole

 

[Jon Rista]

... and the realization that all these extras over time will dwarf the cost of the lathe and I mean any lathe. welcome to the rabbit hole

And not to forget materials, either. I think my largest expenditure so far, has been materials. I switched to finding and picking up logs and branches more recently for new wood, but I've spent more on blanks, including a lot of exotic bowl, platter, vase blanks as well as pen and other small turning blanks. My tools and equipment are about equal I think, but still over ten grand each. Materials though....yeesh....its scary how much money you can spend on woods, resins and such stuff.

 

[hughie]

And not to forget materials, either. I think my largest expenditure so far, has been materials. I switched to finding and picking up logs and branches more recently for new wood, but I've spent more on blanks, including a lot of exotic bowl, platter, vase blanks as well as pen and other small turning blanks. My tools and equipment are about equal I think, but still over ten grand each. Materials though....yeesh....its scary how much money you can spend on woods, resins and such stuff.

Due to my background, I have been fortunate to make much of what I use in the way of tools, accessories and even my lathe. In the beginning I used to buy wood, mainly burls and yes it wasnt cheap, then I discovered suburban trees. Where I lived the housing market is quite volatile with boom and bust situation occurring every decade or so and with that comes change, quite often to the garden area. So trees are planted by one owner cut down by the next. Low and behold many of these are exotics in the tree world bought originally for looks now discarded. A rich never ending source of very good wood and I had the space, along a with couple of good friends who keep and eye out and often I would come home after work and find a log or two on the driveway. So at one point I measured my stash in tons, I think at this time is was up around 5-6 tons, it was every where under benches, at the back of the garage, under a lean to/make shift shelter. I was amazed how much SWBO put up with it.

 

[Jon Rista]

Due to my background, I have been fortunate to make much of what I use in the way of tools, accessories and even my lathe. In the beginning I used to buy wood, mainly burls and yes it wasnt cheap, then I discovered suburban trees. Where I lived the housing market is quite volatile with boom and bust situation occurring every decade or so and with that comes change, quite often to the garden area. So trees are planted by one owner cut down by the next. Low and behold many of these are exotics in the tree world bought originally for looks now discarded. A rich never ending source of very good wood and I had the space, along a with couple of good friends who keep and eye out and often I would come home after work and find a log or two on the driveway. So at one point I measured my stash in tons, I think at this time is was up around 5-6 tons, it was every where under benches, at the back of the garage, under a lean to/make shift shelter. I was amazed how much SWBO put up with it.

Yeah! Domestic yard wood is a great source. I've started doing that. My neighbor behind me, well, the original neighbor was a landscape architect. He landscaped his own yard, and it was BEAUTIFUL, which a lot of trees. He ended up moving a few years ago, and the guy who bought the place paid ZERO attention to the unbelievably beautiful yard he had also bought. He let a lot of trees die, mostly pines, and replaced all of them with crappy (now mostly dead) fruit trees from Home Depot. He also let the most beautiful trees in the yard, these birch trees, all die. They grew in these clusters, there were five, six clusters...only one cluster survived. I managed to nab several SUV-fulls worth of that wood when the trees were cut down. I have some pretty good sized logs of that stuff all over. I've managed to nab some other wood from other neighborhood trees. Colorado, though, doesn't exactly have "exotics" all over...so its ok wood, not great. My parents also live up in the mountains, and near a guy who is an arborist. He has mountainous piles (truly mountainous!!) of all kinds of wood. I've managed to pick up a fair amount from him. He has a ton of cottonwood (one o the few native trees of Colorado), but tons of fruit trees (apricot, apple, pear, plum, and more), I managed to pick up a couple logs of weeping willow, plenty of pine, and a few logs of walnut. I also managed to pick up branches for a few different varieties of birch as well. That's become my source for now. Not really exotic woods, but, I have enough exotics for the time being.

I sometimes drive around during spring and fall, to see if anyone is cutting down or trimming trees. If I find any decent sized logs I'll ask if I can take some. I've never encountered a "No" before!

 

[hughie]

Yeah! Domestic yard wood is a great source. I've started doing that. My neighbor behind me, well, the original neighbor was a landscape architect. He landscaped his own yard, and it was BEAUTIFUL, which a lot of trees. He ended up moving a few years ago, and the guy who bought the place paid ZERO attention to the unbelievably beautiful yard he had also bought. He let a lot of trees die, mostly pines, and replaced all of them with crappy (now mostly dead) fruit trees from Home Depot. He also let the most beautiful trees in the yard, these birch trees, all die. They grew in these clusters, there were five, six clusters...only one cluster survived. I managed to nab several SUV-fulls worth of that wood when the trees were cut down. I have some pretty good sized logs of that stuff all over. I've managed to nab some other wood from other neighborhood trees. Colorado, though, doesn't exactly have "exotics" all over...so its ok wood, not great. My parents also live up in the mountains, and near a guy who is an arborist. He has mountainous piles (truly mountainous!!) of all kinds of wood. I've managed to pick up a fair amount from him. He has a ton of cottonwood (one o the few native trees of Colorado), but tons of fruit trees (apricot, apple, pear, plum, and more), I managed to pick up a couple logs of weeping willow, plenty of pine, and a few logs of walnut. I also managed to pick up branches for a few different varieties of birch as well. That's become my source for now. Not really exotic woods, but, I have enough exotics for the time being.

I sometimes drive around during spring and fall, to see if anyone is cutting down or trimming trees. If I find any decent sized logs I'll ask if I can take some. I've never encountered a "No" before!

For some peculiar reason home owner here go in for foreign ornamentals and imports. So you run in to Chinese Elm, English oak, Japanese maple, mahogany, cypress, and cedar, baobabs, liquidambar, and silver maple and many more plus of course 2,800 species of eucalypts (gum trees)

 

[John K Jordan]

Domestic yard wood is a great source.

Can’t remember if showed this picture. Water maple.


Not long ago I noticed a pile of logs and brush in a yard down the hill from me. The tree cutters had used a skid steer to push all the logs and branches in on pile in the lady’s yard. The tree was large, well over 3’ in diameter at the base so the pile was HUGE. The lady couldn’t even pull branches out to burn.

It was close enough so I drove the excavator down and sorted out the big pile into four piles: good for firewood, useful for turning (some nice crotches), brush to burn, and stuff to push into the woods. I loaded the wood good for turning into my dump trailer and hauled it up to my place. I dumped it near my shop and set the logs off the ground on 4x4s.

So far 6 people from the club have hauled a bunch away and I’ve cut a bunch of blanks on the bandsaw for drying. Also trying to get some to spalt.

The excavator makes things so easy - hold the log by the end while someone chainsaws useful chunks and applies anchor seal. Then I load the pieces on their trailer or truck, some way too heavy for even three strong young guys to load by hand. I also have water nearby so I can pressure wash the logs to clean off any dirt and little rocks. Be kind to your chainsaw.



This gentleman turned a cowboy hat from one piece.

There is some left if anyone nearby wants it.

JKJ

 

[Jon Rista]

For some peculiar reason home owner here go in for foreign ornamentals and imports. So you run in to Chinese Elm, English oak, Japanese maple, mahogany, cypress, and cedar, baobabs, liquidambar, and silver maple and many more plus of course 2,800 species of eucalypts (gum trees)

Sounds like you chose the right place to live! I guess we occasionally have that around here. Some people in my neighborhood have some japanese maple. I know one tree that was planted about the time I move here, over 15 years ago, and it still looks like a sapling. I am not sure if Colorado is very conducive to a lot of trees, sadly. Occasionally, though, a real nice, big, old tree dies and is cut down. We've had some walnut like that. Not sure what other exotics might be hiding around here...but, we definitely aren't as lucky as you.

 

[robo hippy]

John, I think you are cheating!

robo hippy

 

[John K Jordan]

John, I think you are cheating!

robo hippy

Do you mean me, with the machine, er, outside woodturning tool?

You should see the skid steer in action. After taking a couple of tall trees down by digging around the roots with the excavator and pushing, I picked up the smaller one, about 100' tall, with the grapple mounted on the skid steer and carried it up the hill to a better spot for me to stand to chainsaw it into pieces.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

Have to agree with JKJ earlier post don't buy until you get some lessons. That said I think this kind of list is very discouraging to a new turner, even if you could get half that stuff at Harbor Freight , Not a good idea. Yes all that stuff makes turning nice but "essential " aaahh come on. Lots of small things can easily be fashioned until you can afford a good one , like center finder or wall thickness gauge and even scrapers. I kinda like to say get the essentials like 3 turning tools and that will get you a long way down the road, that is unless you run onto a great estate sale

 

[Brian Gustin]

I Agree with Gerald. I counted from the first original list and I see only 6 total items that are pretty much Mandatory (or should be) besides the lathe (which most new ones come with many of the listed accessories already!)

 

[Steve Tiedman]

I Agree with Gerald. I counted from the first original list and I see only 6 total items that are pretty much Mandatory (or should be) besides the lathe (which most new ones come with many of the listed accessories already!)

Yeah, this list/thread would scare me away.

To get started making practice cuts and small projects while you learn:
-Small lathe (Jet mini).
-1/2" spindle gouge.
-Parting tool.
(Add other basic, traditional cutting tools as you grow. Skip carbide ring devices, not necessary.)
-Slow speed grinder with white alum oxide wheels, 60/100 or 120 grit, learn to sharpen freehand watching Raffan and Tomasic. (Come on, CBN is NOT required...)
-Something to cut wood (handsaws, or sharp hatchet, or electric chainsaw, or gas chainsaw, or bandsaw, or table saw [for boards to a couple inches thick])
-Box fan with a high MERV number rating to catch sanding dust behind the headstock.
-And finally, a good dust mask and eye protection.
-A shop vac and broom will be useful as well.

Find a club, find a mentor, watch high quality videos, and practice a lot.

 

[Alan Weinberg]

Yeah, this list/thread would scare me away.

To get started making practice cuts and small projects while you learn:
-Small lathe (Jet mini).
-1/2" spindle gouge.
-Parting tool.
(Add other basic, traditional cutting tools as you grow. Skip carbide ring devices, not necessary.)
-Slow speed grinder with white alum oxide wheels, 60/100 or 120 grit, learn to sharpen freehand watching Raffan and Tomasic. (Come on, CBN is NOT required...)
-Something to cut wood (handsaws, or sharp hatchet, or electric chainsaw, or gas chainsaw, or bandsaw, or table saw [for boards to a couple inches thick])
-Box fan with a high MERV number rating to catch sanding dust behind the headstock.
-And finally, a good dust mask and eye protection.
-A shop vac and broom will be useful as well.

Find a club, find a mentor, watch high quality videos, and practice a lot.

CBN was in the optional category. You don’t find wood, drive and live centers, lighting, ruler, abrasives, and a chuck necessary?

I don’t pretend that my list is official. As a new (2 year) turner, I would have found such a thread helpful.

 

[R Henrickson]

Have to agree with JKJ earlier post don't buy until you get some lessons. That said I think this kind of list is very discouraging to a new turner, even if you could get half that stuff at Harbor Freight , Not a good idea. Yes all that stuff makes turning nice but "essential " aaahh come on. Lots of small things can easily be fashioned until you can afford a good one , like center finder or wall thickness gauge and even scrapers. I kinda like to say get the essentials like 3 turning tools and that will get you a long way down the road, that is unless you run onto a great estate sale

Indeed. Some lessons will provide basic skills and may help define what you *want* to turn rather than what you anticipate wanting to do. In my case, it came down to finding what I enjoy turning. After almost 15 years of turning all sorts of things, there are a fair number of things on the 'required' list that I never have owned or used, and others that I have owned but disposed of. Buy the tools required for what you intend to do *now*, not what you think you might do in the future. Your interests will likely change -- add what is necessary as and when needed.

Many things can be done simply. It is easy to complicate the process and have elaborate needs. When I demo, and particularly when I teach, I try to minimize the equipment required. The simpler the needs, the more likely a student will be able to go home and repeat the process. E.g., I taught a multiaxis platter class last Saturday -- a vacuum chuck or eccentric chuck *could* be used, but there are many simpler approaches. For that class, and a variety of other multiaxis classes I teach, a bowl and spindle gouge, parting tool, and safety drive suffice; scrap wood provides offset chucking. I do a lot of other types of multiaxis turning -- frequently at show-and-tell sessions people will say "of course you used an eccentric chuck". No -- I've never used one. Sometimes a homemade jig, but I build more elaborate jigs for drilling than for any turning that I do.

Watching Derek Weidman turn will show you how much complex multiaxis work can be done with a safety drive and a gouge. Not even a chuck required.

 

[Brian Gustin]

CBN was in the optional category. You don’t find wood, drive and live centers, lighting, ruler, abrasives, and a chuck necessary?

I don’t pretend that my list is official. As a new (2 year) turner, I would have found such a thread helpful.

Drive & live centers typically will come with the lathe - I wouldn't suggest a chuck until you get some practice in with the basic tools (spindle gouge, parting tool, perhaps an SRG) start with simple spindle turnings, wood of course can always be sourced (FOG) so not necessarily an expense

- Most that can make space for a lathe will have at least some lighting already, likely a ruler or tape measure already handy, abrasives can also be optional at first ... I was thinking the list as being the minimum a new turner will NEED in order to at least get started (besides buying the lathe)

- AFTER THAT everything else can depend on the skill you develop, and the desired "rabbit hole" you dive down (spindles, pens, bowls, boxes, segmenting, what have you..)

The idea would be to have a short list so if someone asked "what do you need to get started turning on a budget", you could hand them that list without discouraging them entirely from the joy of turning... However, I'd probably also tell them that while that list would be the bare minimum, you could likely expect down the road to be spending 2 to 3 times the initial outlay (if not more) in all the accessories and tooling, wood, etc. So they could look up that short list of 6 or 7 items and decide if they want to spend "That Much" knowing that they could end up spending twice as much later on if they enjoy it.. and if they don't they aren't going to be out a ton of money when they go to try and re-sell... The less to try and get rid of, the easier to get out of it.

 

[Jon Rista]

I think there could be a rebalance of required vs. ... others. Maybe more categories? Spindle turning has its requirements, which are actually different than bowl/platter turning, which can be quite different from vase turning (larger than about 8" deep, and vases require some special equipment), vs. useful but optional items. Maybe "Extremely Useful" and "Useful"?

Calipers, for example...probably not really necessary, extremely useful though?
Various tool rests, could maybe be split into different categories. There are inside/outside rests for bowls, box rests for turning boxes, etc.
Tool supply/cabinets are probably more "useful" than necessary. I started with a cheap plastic toolbox! And I already had that...

If the goal is to provide some helpful tips for beginners, the "required" list...IS rather long, and when you think about it, pretty darn expensive.

 

[Alan Weinberg]

I just wanted to start the conversation. Feel free to amend the lists in any way you want. I have been turning only 2 years and the required list is for me—required. Fortunately I need no dust collection since I turn outside, though I put that as required.

I did just shorten it since I listed broom and dustpan twice!

 

[robo hippy]

I was chatting with Steve Jones, aka woodturner 21, and his comment was why turn bowls when you can turn spindles. My response was why turn spindles when you can turn bowls. I think I turned 2 spindles and then went straight to bowls. Skills are similar, A, B, C, anchor the tool on the tool rest, rub the bevel, and cut.

robo hippy